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King of Fools

(The Shadow Game #2)

Amanda Foody (Goodreads Author)

4.10 · Rating details · 3,211 ratings · 782 reviews

Indulge your vices in the City of Sin, where a sinister street war is brewing and fame is the deadliest killer of them all...

On the quest to find her missing mother, prim and proper Enne Salta became reluctant allies with Levi Glaisyer, the city’s most famous con man. Saving his life in the Shadow Game forced Enne to assume the identity of Seance, a mysterious underworld f ...more

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Hardcover, 602 pages

Published April 30th 2019 by Inkyard Press

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Start your review of King of Fools (The Shadow Game, #2)

Feb 25, 2019 megs_bookrack rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Slytherins

Shelves: arcs-read

Amanda Foody!!!

((foot stomp))

Amanda FOODY!!!

((hand clap))

AMANDA FOOOOOOO-DYYYY!!!!

((tears))

I will never be the same again.

RESPECT.

Picking up directly after the events of Ace of Shades, King of Fools, the second installment of The Shadow Game trilogy, is packed full of action and political intrigue that left my head spinning!

We see the return of our favorite characters, Enne, Levi, Lola and Jac, and meet great new characters as well. Most notably for me, a girl with a penchant for blowing thi ...more

flag 211 likes · Like · see review

May 14, 2019 High Lady of The Night Court rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy-read

“Because the hero of one story is the villain of someone else’s. It’s all just a matter of who wins.”

King of Fools was so much more than I more was expecting from this world. It was so much more complicated and the sheer amount of things that happened in this book is unbelievable. There was not a single moment that wasn't packed with plot and not a single moment which was slow.

The relationship between all the characters evolves so much and just as new relations and made old ones can be brok “Because the hero of one story is the villain of someone else’s. It’s all just a matter of who wins.”

King of Fools was so much more than I more was expecting from this world. It was so much more complicated and the sheer amount of things that happened in this book is unbelievable. There was not a single moment that wasn't packed with plot and not a single moment which was slow.

The relationship between all the characters evolves so much and just as new relations and made old ones can be broken. This book was a roller coaster in the sense that the protagonists go through many events of which some are amazing and some that are huge set backs, and events like this happen over and over again. The scale is constantly tipping from one side to another and there is very little distinction between good and evil, of any at all.

The relationships between the characters are highlighted in this book, more so than the last one, because we see the book in three perspectives and all three characters have very different plans and goals and are in starkly varied situations. In the last book all the character had similar paths and worked together in many things, while they still work together they also work individually in a way that is both personal growth for some of them and destructive for others.We see the book through Enne, Levi, and Jac’s perspective.

“They were playing with legends, and every legend needed a shred of truth.
Their truth would be blood.”

The last book ended with Enne and Levi running after the events of the Shadow Game. Enne discovers that she is a Mizer and Levi kills the chancellor. Now, there is a war brewing between the North Side and the South Side of New Reynes. The leaders of the gangs and their seconds have bounties on their heads and are being hunted and amongst them is Seánce, which is Enne’s secret identity.

Vianca Augustine is going to run in the elections but now her son, Harrison Augustine, is running and recruits Levi to help him win the election, and in return Harrison will kill Vianca and set Levi free from Vianca’s omerta. Levi must figure out if the risk is worth his freedom and if he chooses to accept the offer he must figure out how to plot Harrison’s rise without disobeying Vianca’s orders.

The blurb of this book is pretty vague and I didn't understand why before, but after having read the book I completely understand. To mention anything else will confuse the readers and explaining it would reveal major spoilers. So if you liked the last book I would definitely encourage you to read this one.

Ruthless, painful and unforgiving, it is a book about ambition, vengeance, and loss. It's about gambling, luck, murder, and weighing the risks of opportunities against death. It is extravagant and complicated and heartbreaking. It's about legends and history and superstition. It's about games, fights, manipulation, and staying one step ahead of your opponent. It is about power freedom and safety. It is shocking, revealing, and intricate.
And it's only getting better.

“Maybe your soul didn’t break like a bone. Maybe it broke like a promise.” ...more

flag 159 likes · Like · see review

May 14, 2019 chai ♡ marked it as to-read

Shelves: young-adult, poc-rep, priority-backlist, 2019-releases, lgbtq-rep, fiction, ya-sff

zzz

　＜⌒／ヽ-､_＿_
／＜_/＿＿＿＿／
￣￣￣￣￣￣￣

　　　∧_∧ did someone say...
　　(　･ω･) GIRL GANG ??
　＿|　⊃／(＿＿_
／　└-(＿＿＿_／
￣￣￣￣￣￣￣

flag 139 likes · Like · see review

Dec 25, 2019 Helena of Eretz ✰ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, hardback, high-fantasy, best-of-2019

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!

Everything that could’ve gone wrong DID. All of my babies are suffering and I’m so, so sad. Can I just treat this book as a hoax? This can’t possibly be how everything went down.

I need the finale NOW!

flag 60 likes · Like · see review

Jun 16, 2019 Emma Giordano rated it really liked it

4.5 Stars!

I received a copy of this book from Inkyard Press. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.

flag 56 likes · Like · see review

Mar 13, 2020 sarah xoxo rated it really liked it

Shelves: my-reviews, read-2020, ya-fantasy

#1.) Ace of Shades ★★★★.5
#2.) King of Fools ★★★★

Amanda Foody is quickly becoming one of my favourite YA fantasy authors and I am so happy about it! While not quite as fast paced and fun as its predecessor, King of Fools is a solid sequel and I can't wait for the third book.

Second book syndrome is real but for the most part, I think this book didn't fall prey to the unfortunate trend. It was long, and did drag at times but overall this book did an incredible job of taking the characters, world a ...more

flag 47 likes · Like · see review

Apr 27, 2018 Beth marked it as to-read

Shelves: own-to-read

27.04.18

I just finished Ace of Shades;

1. You can't end there like that.
2. Please see above.
3. I need more.
4. 2019?!
5. Amanda Foody, if you want to give me a copy ASAP, thankssss xoxoxoxxo

I CAN'T WAIT
-----------
14.07.18
We have a cover and it’s blue and I looooooove it
————- ...more

flag 45 likes · Like · see review

Mar 05, 2019 julianna ➹ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: queer-rep-read, diverse-read, poc-rep-read, full-review, drc

1. Ace of Shades ★★★★★
2. King of Fools ★★★★★
3. Untitled

This was so much cleverness and un-subtle feminism— and I love it so much. Amanda said that this was her girl gang book and she is not wrong, at all. Why is this called King of Fools when it should be called Badassery.jpg?

you: Second Book Syndrome
Amanda Foody:
kicking in the door

misogynists: h-
Amanda Foody:
kicking in the door

people who hate on strong girl characters:
Amanda Foody:
kicking in the door

If someone wanted to call her naive, then they would. If someone wanted to call her heartless, then

...more

flag 41 likes · Like · see review

May 03, 2019 Silvia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, sent-for-review

I was sent this book as an advanced copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.

King of Fools was one of my most anticipated sequels this year and I was not disappointed. Am I mad a this book and at Amanda Foody? Oh, hell yes. But I loved every second of it.

I believe that, in trilogies, second books should feel completely different from book one, and then book three should be an expansion of book two. We'll see what book three has in store for us, ...more

flag 44 likes · Like · see review

May 17, 2019 booksnpenguins marked it as to-read · review of another edition

I need to reread Ace of Shades asap so I can start this one!

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Jun 06, 2019 Holly (Holly Hearts Books) rated it liked it

I liked this sequel. Unfortunately there was just a lot of romance coupling, angst and not a whole lot of magic. I’m curious how the third book will wrap up the story!

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

Aug 22, 2020 Drewthereader20 rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-books, new-releases, audiobook, buddy-reads, tbr-shelf, 2020-favorites, hardcover, fantasy, 2020-reads

This sequel was so good and it took me forever to read it!!! The second and final book I’ve read for #tometopplereadathon this round.. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

flag 23 likes · Like · see review

May 26, 2019 Lauren Lanz rated it really liked it

Shelves: shed-some-tears, young-adult, 4-stars

4.5 stars for how violated King of Fools left me feeling. Amanda Foody, you sly fox, how dare you do this to us?

“Don’t let your fallen heroes stop you from wanting to become one.”

After the events of Ace of Shades, Levi and Enne have got large bounties on their heads. The faces of the Irons, Doves and Scarhands are in the papers for everyone to see, except Enne’s identity remains unknown, leaving only her assumed role ‘Seance’ for the public to ponder over. In hope of regaining their freedom, ...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Jun 28, 2018 Cindy ✩☽♔ rated it it was ok

Shelves: netgalley, arc, meh-that-was-disappointing

Me the first 30-40% of the book:

Me the remainder of the book:

I think it's about time I realized this series just might not be for me. Because when I think dark, when I think gangsters, I do not think this book AT ALL. It's like my main issue with the first book became even more apparent to me here. That these aren't gangsters. These are kids in way over their head.

The writing itself is not bad, but I just could not bring myself to care much about anything that was happening.

The only t ...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Oct 06, 2019 sam rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-read, owned

blood, scheming, betrayal, plot twists oh my. This book really went all out. The reason i’m only giving this a 4.5 ⭐️ is because i kept getting confused in between and it could’ve been my fault or the writing i’m really not sure but other than that this book delivered and reached my expectations. The character growth for Erienne was tremendous and honestly if you compare her character in the first book to this one you’ll find few similarities. I love the representation and i found it quite uniqu ...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Oct 24, 2018 Kal ★ Reader Voracious rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019-anticipated, e-arc, diverse-reads, lgbtqiap, friendship, fantasy, strong-female-characters, romance

While this review is spoiler-free, if you haven't read Ace of Shades yet, I'd recommend not reading this review or book synopsis as both have spoilers for book 1.

"Oaths, omertas, Chainers - there's a reason so many in the North Side favor such weapons. New Reynes killed the queen the very day she hoped to negotiate peace. The City of Sin was built on duplicity."

Friends, this was one of my most highly anticipated sequels of 2019 and Foody did not disappoint! There is a lot going on in ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

May 16, 2019 Alice rated it liked it

Shelves: cover-love, read-2019, reviewed

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

May 14, 2019 Darinda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, ya-fantasy

The second book in The Shadow Game series by Amanda Foody. This book picks up where the first book, Ace of Shadows, ended.

Favorite characters are back (Enne, Levi, Jac) and new characters are introduced. The characters in this series are so intriguing. This novel is told using multiple points of view, which gives insight into several characters. I especially love the strong female characters.

The fun thing about this series is the politics in New Reynes. With so many people trying to be in power, ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Feb 11, 2019 Candace Robinson added it

ARC received via publisher!

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Jun 12, 2019 The Nerd Daily rated it really liked it

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Portia Brown

“Because the hero of one story is the villain of someone else’s. It’s all just a matter of who wins.”

King of Fools by Amanda Foody is the second book in her The Shadow Game trilogy. A sequel often tends to suffer from second-book-syndrome, but this one felt like a totally different book in comparison to the first book, Ace of Shades. The first book felt more like its own original story while the second successfully expands on the sto Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Portia Brown

“Because the hero of one story is the villain of someone else’s. It’s all just a matter of who wins.”

King of Fools by Amanda Foody is the second book in her The Shadow Game trilogy. A sequel often tends to suffer from second-book-syndrome, but this one felt like a totally different book in comparison to the first book, Ace of Shades. The first book felt more like its own original story while the second successfully expands on the story and the consequences of the events of the first book.

At the end of Ace of Shades, Enne and Levi both survive the shadow game and as a result, they are both wanted for murder. Now, they must avoid getting caught and they need to build up successful gangs on the north side of New Reynes. They’re gambling with everything they have, which could either cause their downfall or gain them the freedom they desire from the one who practically owns them.

The world of New Reynes is reintroduced to us through this story and the folklore surrounding the city of New Reynes is brought in. We get to see more of the darker parts of the city and the people who live in it. We also get to see a lot more of the south side and learn more about the political goings on.

The story moves from a hunt for someone and more to surviving and becoming who you are. We get to see more about the power dynamic and how the power shifts between characters as they move in a game without any real rules. It keeps you on the edge of your seat to see who is going to pull through to the very end. The book is so full of events and complicated plot points and even if you aren’t completely hooked onto the plot, the characters are so interesting that you have to keep reading.

Speaking of the characters, we get three perspectives in this book (Enne, Levi, and Jac). In Ace of Shades, we get to see Enne grow a lot over the ten days that she is in the City of Sin, and we see the results of that. Enne gets to form her own girl gang filled with a variety of girls who all show amazing girl power.

Whilst Enne changed a lot in the first book, Levi’s character development is a lot slower and becomes clearer in this book. His development is often the result of something that happens and he learns after he regrets doing something that had consequences he didn’t like. It’s realistic even if it is frustrating at times.

Jac’s perspective was an interesting addition to the story as we get to see an outsider perspective to show us Levi’s flaws and developments as well as Enne’s. Jac also got his own storyline and his own agenda which were very enjoyable as well as sometimes terrifying to read about.

All the relationships between the characters in the first book and the new ones, fully evolve tp become more front and center in this book. Getting three perspectives really helped with the character development and we get to see how all their individual plots and plans come together. Amanda Foody really expanded the story and the world of New Reynes in this book and she shows how you can create characters that almost seem real.

King of Fools is a book about ambition, loss, and vengeance. It’s about luck, games, gambling, murder, manipulation and death while being painful, ruthless, complicated, and extravagant. It’s a great sequel with an intense plot filled with twists and turns that will leave you wanting more. ...more

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Sep 25, 2020 Roobie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: magic, fantasy, part-of-series, 2020-challenge, romance

⭐️4 stars⭐️

If someone wanted to call her naive, then they would.
If someone wanted to call her heartless, then they would.
It didn't matter whether she decked herself in knives or pearls. The world would always demand that a girl apologize for herself, but she would apologize for nothing. ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

May 11, 2018 prag ♻ rated it really liked it

Shelves: fucked-me-up, lgbtqiap-plus, queer-fantasy, deserves-a-shrine, favorite, lesbians-when-you-squint

• the wildest part of this reading experience was Ju accidentally guessing the ending in the first chapter
• SAPPHIC LOLA SANGUICK!! (i called it)
• #girlgangbook lives UP
• i love girls
• feMINism yeAh
• levi?? jac?? everything?? IT'S SO WELL WRITTEN
• enne <33333 ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Jul 06, 2019 Iris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2019, emotional-pain, fantasy, girl-power, dark-and-stabby, bi-rep-and-pan-rep, lgbtqiap, 5-stars, my-favourites-ish, i-am-in-denial-of-that-ending

NO. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NONONONONONO

I'M NOT OKAY

THAT ENDING WAS NOT COOL

I AM IN PAIN. A LOT OF PAIN ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Sep 14, 2020 solanne rated it really liked it

wow, Amanda Foody must be pretty strong from carrying the weight of all the hearts she’s broken

rtc

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

May 23, 2019 Esmée van der Weide rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

''I think it takes more strength to be vulnerable than it does to appear invincible.''

Amanda Foody wrote another breathtaking book that just tore my heart out. It was beautiful, painful, emotional, entertaining and so much more. I very much enjoyed this book and it was in several ways better than book one. The ending was even more exciting than the one of Ace of Shades and it seems really promising for the finale.

The plot was tailored perfectly. The story picked up right after the ending of boo ...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Jan 28, 2019 booksneedcaffeinetoo rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, favorite-series, favorites, young-adult, funny, fantasy

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IT IS RELEASE DAY.
YOU ALL GET TO READ ABOUT THE GIRL GANG
I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

February 13, 2019
Wow. Somehow I got approved for the eARC. I guess this is where I add that disclaimer?
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Did I do that right?

"The hero of one story is the villain of someone else's. It's all just a matter of who wins."

This book picks up right where Ace of Shades left off. And right from the get go things are int ...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Jun 30, 2018 Sail ♛ A Wicked Reader rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars!! And you can check out my full review here

“The city felt like the hush before a stage curtain lifted, but what the city waited for was war.”

The previous novel in this series, Ace of Shades, is one of my all time favorites and I’ve read it a couple of times. This was everything I could have hoped for in a sequel, and more, but I didn’t enjoy it quite as much because it was a bit slower paced. It was still a fantastic read, albeit a long one, so I ended up giving it 4.5 stars.

First and ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

May 28, 2019 Alaina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, audiobook, books-i-own, fantasy, lgbtqa, fiction, young-adult, favorites

Wow, it has been a while since I've read the first book of this little series. Yet, I still didn't reread that book and just dove into this one.

King of Fools was a good book. I loved the audio but I have no idea how I would feel if I actually read the ebook or physical at this point. Mostly because I'm at work, super busy (there's absolutely nothing for me to do) and yet.. I'm constantly getting distracted. Super happy I didn't have a buddy for this because I would be making up comments left an ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

May 30, 2018 Kristi Housman Confessions of a YA Reader rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-books, advanced-reader

If you haven't read Ace of Shades, you probably don't want to read this review. There are spoilers from book one.

I've had a lot going on in my personal life lately, and it has made it hard to focus on books. But I still ended up loving this.

King of Fools starts off right where Ace of Shades ends. Enne and Levi are wanted for murder and Vianca's son, Harrison, has come back home. Harrison approaches Levi with a deal that ends with Vianca dead. Harrison is running for office against Vianca's ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Nov 17, 2020 manpreet rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-reads

4 STARS

King of Fools is the second book in the trilogy, The Shadow Games.

After Levi and Enne escape the House of Shadows and kill the Chancellor and Sedric Torren, they have bounties on their heads.

When Viana Augustine’s son, Harrison, comes back to New Reynes - he makes a deal with Levi. If Levi helps Harrison win the position as senator in the next election, he will kill Vianca. Because of the omertà on both Levi and Enne, this is an offer that he can’t pass up.

While living in disguise, E ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

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About Amanda Foody

Amanda Foody

1,626 followers

Amanda Foody has always considered imagination to be our best attempt at magic. After a double life as an accountant preparing taxes for multinational corporations, she now spends her free time brewing and fermenting foods much more easily obtained at her local grocery store. She lives in Boston, MA with a hoard of books guarded by the most vicious of feline companions, Jelly Bean.

She is the auth ...more

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“It didn't matter whether she decked herself in knives or pearls. The world would always demand that a girl apologize for herself, but she would apologize for nothing.” — 9 likes

“Because the hero of one story is the villain of someone else's. It's all just a matter of who wins.” — 9 likes

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King of Fools

(The Shadow Game #2)

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